In a rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus in a motor vehicle such as an automobile, the turning of a steering wheel rotates a pinion shaft connected to it, and a rack shaft meshing with this pinion shaft is moved in the left and right directions inside a gear case so as to effect the steering of the steered wheels connected thereto.
In such a rack-and-pinion type steering apparatus, in the case of a motor vehicle traveling on unpaved road surfaces or the like, the rack shaft having rack teeth meshing with the teeth of the pinion receives an excessively large load from the road surface, so that the rack shaft is adapted to be movably supported inside the gear case through a bearing at a position close to the pinion.